This Remake Is No Fake
by RussM
Summary: Velma, Shaggy and Scooby take part in the fan remake of a 70's grindhouse film but soon find things becoming all too real. Also includes Velma's sister Madelyn from Abracadabra Doo.
1. All Hail The Internet

"All hail the internet," said Velma.

"Like we're not worthy man," said Shaggy.

The pair of them stared out of the window, faces pressed to the glass like small children looking through the window of a toy store, as the courier carried two large packages up the path to Velma's house. Daphne looked up from her newspaper with a mixture of sympathy and distain; she gave a sigh and resumed reading. Within seconds of the packages being delivered they were torn open.

"Like _all_ the books, we've got all the books now," said Shaggy with his head buried in one of the boxes.

"And the art books, guides and maps," Velma clutched a mass of stuff to her bosom.

Velma and Shaggy danced around their stash hand in hand while Scooby darted between their legs caught up in the excitement.

"Those two sure are happy," said Fred.

"They're having a nerdgasm," said Daphne dismissively.

Velma dashed over to her computer to Skype her sister.

"Maddy all the stuff came, thanks for finding that site for us," Velma waved a map as she spoke.

"No worries Vel. Listen, I've got some leads on some more stuff. Plus I hear there's a fan remake of the film in the air."

"Do tell, pleeeeease!" said Velma.

"No pleeeeease don't," whispered Daphne heading off to find a quiet place to hide.

It was several months later and Daphne was walking as fast as she could for Velma's house. It was the closet place of safety on her way home as she couldn't see any taxis to hail. She suspected – no knew she was being followed, by some of the meanest rain clouds she'd seen in a while. 'Light spring showers' was the weather prediction for the day; these clouds had obviously stopped off at Shaggy's favourite 'all you can eat' pasta and pizza place on the way. She dashed into Velma's house and closed the door behind her just after the heavens opened. For once Daphne was glad that Velma had moved to this part of town, they'd spent ages looking for a house with a decent size basement as Velma loved basements. Daphne hung up her jacket and was about to call out for Velma when…

"Torture me if you will, I'll never tell you anything!"

Daphne cleared the water out of her ears, she must be hearing things the voice sounded like Velma's. _Must be the TV_ she thought but a glance through the lounge door proved otherwise. There was an evil cackle from the basement; Daphne crept closer, pressing her ear against the door.

"Oh I will, I will torture you, and enjoy every minute of it. But when I'm done with my fun then I'll really get down to business on you!" the voice was full of evil and menace.

"No! Not the pain laser!" Velma shrieked.

"That was only on 2; wait till I turn it up to 11!"

"Mercy!"

"Mercy? Have you forgotten who you are talking to? Now prepare to suffer like you have never suffered before."

Daphne went into full combat-mode, she kicked open the basement door and summersaulted down the stairs. On landing she readied her most lethal attack moves determined to save her friend from whoever it was… even if it was just Shaggy dressed up in a green sparkly cape with a high conical collar wearing a straggly false beard and plastic bald head, more Ming the Tasteless than anything else. Shaggy held a flashing bicycle LED against Velma's bare belly by means of a toy throwing hoop. For her part Velma was wearing an insubstantial metal bikini with chain-mail detail and thigh-high boots. She was loosely tied spread-eagled atop a large table by thick ropes which had been spray-painted silver and appeared to have Christmas lights embedded within for good measure. Fake pieces of equipment were littered around the room and hung from the ceiling, all obviously made out of painted cardboard boxes. Scooby was sitting in a director's chair reading from a manuscript of some kind, an old voice-powered megaphone was on the floor next to him. Three pairs of eyes looked round at Daphne in surprise.

"Emmm, I'll, I'll come back, later," _much later_ thought Daphne, her hand automatically reaching for her cell-phone; her therapist was on speed-dial for just such an emergency.

"Don't go Daph we're only rehearsing," said Velma.

_What, for being weird? 'Cause you two don't need too _thought Daphne "What in the name of all things fashionable and purple are you all up too?" Scooby held out the manuscript for Daphne, she walked over and took it.

"Rebellion of the Intergalactic Slave-Girls from Dimension 9?" Daphne's incredulity meter went off the scale as she flicked through the first few pages of the script.

"It's a B-movie classic Daph, there's going to be a fan remake and..." said Shaggy.

"We've got big parts in it!" said Velma with a level of excitement almost as indecent as her costume.

"Like I play Zarquad the Evil, he's the major bad-guy," said Shaggy proudly, _you don't say_ thought Daphne.

"And I'm Boobella the leader of the slave-girl rebellion," said Velma proudly.

Daphne inwardly cringed "Take one notorious exploitation flick, marinade for 30 years in rose-tinted nostalgia, serve with a side-order of contemporary irony and bingo suddenly it's all OK now?"

"You finished Daph?" said Shaggy.

"Sorry meant to keep that in my head, so what about Scooby?"

"He's Vrexxan, Dog-King of the Underworld and Zarquad's second in command. I've almost finished his extra animatronic legs," said Velma sitting up and getting off the table "plus he's an assistant location director."

"Reah, revil renius" cackled Scooby before he started coughing.

"Well at least your special effects budget is bigger than the original."

"True, we're also trying to add some of the ideas from the books so it will have more depth than the original film."

"Depth? There's plenty of depth right there," said Daphne pointing at Velma's cleavage "which was the whole point of the original film from what I recall."

Velma moved Daphne's finger away "The _books_ are much deeper, in the same way that H.G. Wells wrote War of the Worlds as a polemic against imperialism the author here was trying to do the same regarding the role of women in society at the time and their portrayal in fantasy literature in general. That by demeaning and degrading one section of society, society ultimately demeans and degrades itself while in the process of justifying..." began Velma unconsciously adopting her lecturer pose.

"She wrote a paper on this at college didn't she?" muttered Daphne as Velma continued to drone on, Shaggy nodded sticking his fingers in his ears. Mercifully Velma's impromptu lecture was interrupted by a phone call.

"Bother, Libby can't make it, she's been stung by a wasp and isn't feeling well..." said Velma as she hung up.

"Libby?"

"Someone you don't know Daph, she's my co-star of sorts; her uncle has a ranch out in New Mexico where the wilderness scenes will be filmed."

"So what's she going to be doing?"

"Well now hopefully listening to her husband and letting him take her to the hospital emergency room. What she would be doing here is working with me rehearsing the jail-break scene. Not much chance of that unless…" they all looked at Daphne.

"I am not wearing one of those things!" said Daphne pointing Velma's costume "and seriously doesn't that chafe?"

"It's more comfortable than you think. Shaggy made it; the inside is lined with very soft leather."

"Awww that's nice. No!"

"Aw come on Daph we need to practice this and it won't be the same if Scooby has to take her part, he has to be Vrexxan in this scene as well," said Velma.

"Like yeah, we don't have a costume his size either and Libby's about your size."

Daphne looked at three pairs of honest and innocent eyes. "Oh all right I'll read but I'm _not_ dressing up. Pass me the script."

"Rake rive reveryone! Rake-up!" yelled Scooby through the megaphone right into Daphne's ear.

After depositing the megaphone over Scooby's head Daphne sat down to read. While she was doing so she glanced up to watch Velma as she tried to pull the megaphone off Scooby's head while Shaggy held on to Scooby. Velma's choice of clothing had always been a mystery to Daphne, at one level she insisted on covering herself up, yet she wore short skirts. She'd cover herself up at the beach but was happy to prance about in a tiny-weeny metal bikini and kinky boots for a dumb sci-fi film remake. Daphne resigned herself to the fact that how Velma ticked was one mystery that she'd probably never solve. With a quiet pop the megaphone came of Scooby's head causing Velma to fall backwards onto the floor.

"OK I'm ready," said Daphne.

"Right in this scene, Boobella and her co-conspirator Buttockszina, stop looking at me like that Daph, have allowed themselves to be captured so they can infiltrate Zarquad's lair and save their fellow slave-girls. They've just been thrown into a cell from which they plot their escape and instigate the rebellion." Velma took off her boots "That's better." she wiggled her toes.

"So where is the 'cell' then?" said Daphne.

"Like this way but be careful the paint might still be wet," Shaggy motioned for them follow him. They went into another room where a deep alcove had been fitted with floor to ceiling bars and a door. The door had a large lock fitted to it with a key hanging on the wall. Daphne tapped the door lock, it made a hollow sound.

"Like not too hard Daph! That's just a cereal box," said Shaggy.

"Sorry," said Daphne gingerly removing her hand while Velma gently opened the door and the girls walked inside.

"Sneeze and we'll be free," muttered Daphne eyeing up the build quality of the cell bars.

Shaggy carefully closed the door behind them, the bars glowed briefly when the door was closed, he turned the key in the lock which closed with quiet metallic click. While the girls had their back turned he briefly put his full weight on the bars, they didn't budge an inch. He turned so they wouldn't see the grin on his face.

Fred was driving to Velma's to pick-up Daphne when he noticed a pair of familiar figures hurrying along the road.

"Say buddy, need a ride?" Fred rolled down the window of the Mystery Machine as he pulled up to the pavement.

"Sweet thanks Fred, anything to save our feet. Man we are so late."

"Yeah looks like it's going to rain again."

"Right man we're inside."

"Well don't get too settled we'll be at Velma's soon," said Fred as Shaggy and Scooby relaxed into their seats.


	2. Method acting in extremis

"Hmmmmm, something you're not telling me?" Daphne suspiciously eyed the two piles chains on the floor.

"Oh yes, we're chained up first, sorry I forgot to tell you. Don't worry they're not real." Velma picked up the pile in front of her. "It's called a slave-set in the books for obvious reasons and they go on like this..."

Not believing what she was seeing Daphne stood dumbfounded and watched Velma as she put on the slave-set. First was a collar which she put round her neck, from the front of the collar hung a long chain at about navel height two chains came off, each about a half a foot long at the end of which were manacles which Velma placed round her wrists. The chain carried on down till it almost reached the floor, at the end of which was the same arrangement as the wrists but for the ankles. Velma bent down to secure her ankles then stood up.

"Velma Dinkley, aka Boobella, slave girl, revolutionary and freedom-fighter extraordinaire," said Velma showing off her new props "Come on Daph, these form part of the escape plan."

"I can't believe you talked me into this," muttered Daphne as she caught herself picking up the 'chains' and examined them "so the chains are all made of plastic with the collar and so forth being made of construction paper oooh _and_ velcro. You sure blew the budget on these."

"Oh come on Daph, it's so you can remove them like this... hey this won't budge," Velma tugged at one of the manacles round her wrist "what's going on…"

Daphne shook her head, for a few seconds there was a faint unpleasant buzzing and the air had a bitter metallic taste. She almost dropped the chains in her hand, they now weighed a tonne.

"Daphne!" Velma cried out, there was a shimmering in the air around her, the manacles and collar seemed to constrict and tightly mould themselves round her ankles, wrists and neck. Velma tried to reach for her throat but couldn't, her movement now restricted by the chains. Daphne rushed to her side and tried to help free her. The plastic and paper was now thick heavy metal.

"Velma, what's happening?"

"I, I don't know. Shaggy, these chains are tight, and _real_? Jinkies there _are_ real. This isn't what I made for us to use what's going on?" Velma tugged at her chains in desperation as panic began to set in.

Shaggy laughed a deep guttural laugh as he turned around, his eyes glowed bright orange.

"Emm Vel did you check the use-by date on the Scooby Snacks at Shaggy place."

"No."

"I think you should have."

"Things are now what they truly are, I am not that Shaggy creature you talk of, I **am** Zarquad and you are now my prisoner!" said Shaggy, his voice suffused with malice and evil.

"Go boil your head Shagahhhhh!" Velma screamed, she doubled up in pain and dropped to her knees, Daphne was at her side in an instant.

"What happened?" Daphne held Velma, she was pale and shivering.

"Pain, so much pain. Like one of those prank hand-shake buzzers but much, much worse."

"Shaggy's dead when we get him I've had it with these jokes," said Daphne.

"I don't think it's a joke, that's not Scooby for sure," said Velma as Daphne helped her to her feet, Daphne could tell from the tone of Velma's voice this was no joke.

"How do you know?"

"The extra set of legs I've just seen him grow was my first clue."

Zarquad turned his back and spoke to Vrexxan in a language neither of the girls could understand. The discussion was soon over and together they went to work on the now very real equipment,

"Now's our chance, my chains may be real but you're free and the bars are just cardboard tubes painted black, I know I installed them this morning. Let's get him." whispered Velma.

The girls rushed the bars, the moment they touched the bars they were electrocuted. The shock threw them back against the wall of the alcove. At the sound Zarquad walked back to the cell and gloated over them, laughing as the girls struggled to their feet.

"Do not trifle with me Boobella, did you think that you could fake death then flee to another dimension to escape me. Not only have I found you, I have found the real Buttockzina!" he stroke his goatee as he gloated "Vrexxan, let us complete this happy reunion."

Vrexxan left the room briefly then returned dragging in a figure wearing an identical outfit and slave-set to Velma with a black leather-like hood over her head, muffled cries of terror came from within. Vrexxan pulled the hood off.

"Maddy!" Velma could have torn her hair out in anguish on seeing her sister in the same predicament as her.

"Velma? What's going on? Where are you?" Madelyn looked around in fear and confusion.

Zarquad removed the hoop from his belt and pointed it a Daphne, this time instead of a harmless flashing LED a beam of blue-white energy shot out paralysing her. Zarquad opened the cell door and dragged Velma out closing the door behind him. As soon as the door was closed Daphne fell to her knees, she was shivering and her breathing ragged.

The Dinkley sisters held on to each other as Vrexxan pointed the same sort of weapon at them that Zarquad had used on Daphne. He motioned for them to kneel down which they did.

"What happened Maddy?" whispered Velma.

"I was asleep in college then this alien dog thing attacked me, made me put this stuff on. Next thing I know I'm here."

Zarquad motioned to a point on the basement wall between two ornate columns set several feet apart. The columns were of a dull metallic-blue colour with small protrusions jutting out from the facing sides of the columns while numerous thick cables ran into them from various cabinets. On the floor just next to one of the columns was a couple of boxes of Scooby Snacks Velma had brought as a reward for Shaggy and Scooby. Several feet away from the wall was the control panel.

"Behold, your future!"

Zarquad walked over to the panel and began to work the device. The section of the wall between the columns began to twist and distort the fade out. The wall was replaced by a dark sinister space; full of devices which resembled medieval torture instrument.

"Ahhh my private torture chamber. Oh Boobella, your tortured screams will be my lullaby. After having practiced on so many of your sisters I will finally be able to demonstrate my skill on you." Zarquad fixated his gaze on Daphne, "The only thing to do before we return is decide what do with this bit of common street flesh you tried to substitute for Buttockzina."

"Dead man walking," whispered Madelyn, Velma nodded.

Vrexxan whispered in Zarquad's ear, he nodded approvingly at the suggestion "We will do nothing, a slow lingering death is appropriate, inside a pain amplification field of course." Zarquad hand went to the hoop on his belt. Everyone stopped as the cellar door opened and

Fred, Shaggy and Scooby walked in.


	3. Portal to Peril

"Like sorry we're late Vel, hey Madds what are you doing here?" Shaggy grinned while Scooby waged his tail enthusiastically at the sight of the younger Dinkley.

"Shaggy help us please!" cried Madelyn.

"Guys awesome special effects!" said Fred.

"Yeah but like why did you start without us?" said Shaggy wondering who was playing his character.

"Freddie you idiot this is real, Maddy and Vel are in danger!" shouted Daphne.

"Yeah, right," scoffed Fred.

"Realtime!" shouted Daphne. Realtime was their code-phrase for 'this isn't a joke no matter how daft this looks; this is real so stop standing there like a pudding and start kicking some ass/antennae/tentacle/whatever.'

Fred and Shaggy prepared to attack but Zarquad got the jump on them with his freeze ray. Scooby managed to jump clear then leapt at Zarquad, he was frozen the next second but as powerful as he was Zarquad couldn't change Newton's First Law of motion, Scooby sailed through the air in an elegant ballistic trajectory and landed on top of him knocking the freeze ray out of his hand unfreezing Shaggy and Scooby. While this was going on Daphne had been picking the lock to the door. The door swung open

"Aiaiaiaiaiaiaiaiai!" Daphne leapt eagerly into the fray, she had a score to settle.

The fight was short; it mostly consisted of the Fred, Daphne, Shaggy and Scooby cowering behind various bits of equipment which were then blown apart by Zarquad and Vrexxan while Madelyn and Velma huddled together on the floor and tried to be a flat as possible. All this damage began to take its toll, the portal began to change colour and shape as it began to destabilise causing the nearby Scooby Snacks to be emersed in the portal field.

"Vrexxan! The portal!"

Vrexxan picked up Madelyn and Velma and threw them towards the portal. Shaggy and Scooby stood up and threw all the Scooby snacks they had at the portal like ninjas using throwing stars. Several snacks hit the portal first causing it to pulsate and change colour. The selected location – the palace torture chamber changed and became a blur, the girls screamed as they flew through the air and vanished into the portal.

"No! I will not be denied again!" cried Zarquad.

Cowards though they were Shaggy and Scooby possessed that special kind of cowardice which meant they would flee from anything, except when a friend was in real danger. They dived for the portal, grabbing the boxes of snack that had been next to it and downed them as they jumped in after the girls. Moments later the portal collapsed with a boom that made the house shake.

Zarquad screamed in rage, he and Vrexxan ran up the stairs with Fred and Daphne hot on their heels. Fast as they were Fred and Daphne couldn't stop Zarquad and Vrexxan getting into the Mystery Machine. The van sped off; Vrexxan fired a device out of the window which opened a portal in front of the van.

Zarquad stuck his head out of the window and looked back at Fred and Daphne.

"I'll be back, before the day is out I will return and claim your world!" Fred took the van keys out of his pocket and pressed a button on the fob, there was a double beep from the van just before in entered the portal.

"Don't worry Daph, I've got a tracker on the van."

"How will that work, who knows where the van is?"

"I installed the trans-dimensional special edition upgrade Vel brought me last Christmas."

Daphne massaged her forehead, perhaps she was ill and this was all just some strange feverish dream. Fred pulled Daphne into passionate embrace, gave her cheek a soothing caress.

"Freddie, I love you, but we've only got fourteen hours to save the Earth and the Mystery Machine. Not to mention Shaggy, Scooby Vel and Maddy. The collective IQ of the planet has just dropped with Vel and Maddy gone." The couple parted and walked back to the basement.

"Well no, 'cause Shaggy and Scooby are there as well so it all averages out. Don't worry Daph my brains are on the case."

"It's worse than I thought," muttered Daphne as she set to work restarting the portal.

Fred opened the covers and looked inside. "Hmm, Pauli exclusion buffers, a strangelet oscillator coupled to dark-matter emm spinny things?"

Daphne looked up from the display.

"Well Fred if we translate this information onto the complex plane; add some extra gamma-zero of m structure then…" Daphne walked over to the console and kicked it, slowly the portal began to reform "Stairmaster maintenance 101."

Immediately Fred set to work trying to track the Mystery Machine. Daphne eyed the portal wondering the fate of Velma and Madelyn, and hoped Shaggy and Scooby knew what they were doing.


	4. To The Sales!

Velma and Madelyn awoke to a baking heat and bright light. A large greenish-tinged sun bore down on them. They squinted and moved their hands to cover their eyes; the rattling of chains brought them quickly to their senses. They found themselves lying on bare wooden boards in a cage on wheels; a large 6-legged creature was pulling it slowly through the streets towards a distant market square. They were still in the slave-set they had been in when thrown through the portal though it felt heavier and tighter than before. Their clothes were as before but now without the benefit of cloth underneath, it was just now just the scroll-work and ornament, each felt hideously exposed. The cage was tall enough for them to stand but with only enough room for them to curl up when lying down. There was a sign which ran round the top of the cage; whilst the script was alien both girls found they could understand it though they wish they couldn't - _Unbroken slaves for sale_.

Both sisters were still wearing their glasses, a few people in the crowd wore similar devices. They stood up and held on to the bars of the cage wondering about the odd blend of technologies on display. Intricate clockwork and hydraulic devices were on display while many merchants used mechanical abacuses and calculators. The streets themselves were lined with stalls, two and three story buildings sat behind those acting as shops and storage with living spaces on the top floors. Awnings extended from the buildings to provide shade for the crowd who thronged the streets. Some people stared and pointed at them, behind the cage a few children ran and played as they were caught up in the spectacle. It was those people that ignored them which they found the hardest to take.

Madelyn crouched down to wipe the sweat from her brow and glanced up at her sister.

"Vel, when did you get a tattoo?"

"What? Never."

"Well you've got one now, there's something under you left arm."

"What is it?"

"Just a set of random numbers and letters."

"Jinkies, let me check you," Madelyn raised her left arm, "same here, they look like some kind of ID number."

"I wonder what their for?"

"I think we're about to find out," said Velma as they arrived at the busy market square. An expectant murmur rose from the crowd as the creature pulling the cage stopped next to a raised platform. In the far corner were a number of similar beasts with empty cages. Both sisters tried to ignore the groups of women similarly attired to them being led away. The beast was unhitched and led away to join the others by a water trough. There was a sale on and they were the main event.

"Ladies and Gentleman, citizens of the empire of the glorious and all-powerful Zarquad the Mighty, I give you a sale like no other…" The auctioneer shouted and pointed at the sisters, the crown quietened as he began his sales pitch. He wore a clean robe of blue with black trimmings, with a bright blue turban; they had seen similar outfits in the crowd and was probably a local fashion. He was clean, lean and shaven with a strong weather-worn face. Velma guessed he must be in his late thirties. From how he played the crown he was clearly at the top of his game, the bidding for them was fierce; three people had already been killed in the process. Finally there were only two bidders left.

"At the first chance we'll kill ourselves," whispered Velma, Madelyn nodded. Both had tears in their eyes. One of the final bidders dropped out when their head went missing, the crowd cheered. The sisters embraced each other.

"I think this is it, goodbye Vel, I love you."

"Goodbye Maddy, I love you too…"

The crowd grew silent and still. Without thinking it parted to reveal two figures dressed in brown robes each with a bag slung over their shoulders, their features were concealed inside the shadows of their hoods. One was tall and thin; the other smaller and walked with an odd bow-legged gait. The final bidder seemed to lose interest and wandered off aimlessly away. The figures silently walked up to the auctioneer.

"Like do you have any unbroken slave-girls for sale?" said the taller one.


	5. Sold

"Like do you have any unbroken slave-girls for sale?" said the tall robed figure.

"Yes, yes good sirs, the likes of which even Lord Zarquad would delight in torturing to death. Completely unbroken good sirs, these two are intelligent and feisty for sure. Both are guaranteed to hold out and fight you every inch of the way. You'll get much please breaking them to your will sir, whatever that may be."

"I see," said the taller figure as he stroked his chin.

"Yes sir, they haven't even tasted a discipline stick. I see you don't have one so I'll throw one in for free."

"A discipline stick? Enlighten me please."

"Yes, pain by nerve induction, you can use it on them as much as you like, not a scratch on them, For'gel demonstrate."

One of the auctioneers assistants walked up to the cage and struck Madelyn on the thigh with an ornately decorated wand, she yelped in pain as her leg lashed out catching him on the arm and causing him to drop the rod.

"You bring that anywhere near me and I'll ram it where the sun doesn't shine," Velma growled, she moved in front of Madelyn as For'gel bent down to pick up the rod. The crowd cheered and laughed. A few clapped the robed figure on the back, congratulating him on such a fine purchase.

"See what I mean sir, if I was a younger man I break them in myself. I can give you some pointers; we also sell training and breaking equipment in our accessories stall on the other side of the market where you can collect these two. Ahh the fun I'd have with them…" the auctioneer was almost drooling at the end of his sales pitch.

The taller figure turned his head to the cage; both sisters caught sight of a long stubbly chin "No sentient being should be another's slave..."

Madelyn gripped Velma's arm "Shaggy?" she whispered. Velma nodded; she'd just caught a glimpse of Scooby's paws poking out from the sleeves of his robe.

"Hope springs eternal," whispered Velma. The robed figure turned to the auctioneer "...that will not be necessary; I will take them, for free."

"Free but, the sale...?"

"I have an alternative you _will_ accept."

If the sisters had ever doubted Shaggy had a hard side there was none now. He transformed the auctioneer into a slave-girl for sale.

"Please, mercy," the auctioneer begged, his voice now feminine. "Better to receive a brief punishment in this life than a longer punishment in the next. The transformation is only temporary but will be long enough for you to understand what you have done to others."

Ignoring the pleas of the transformed auctioneer Shaggy walked off to the sales desk to complete the transaction. Not wanting to appear out of place he selected a few additional items he'd seen some other new owners pick up then walked to the desk. He sweated a bit when he was asked for details of his birth and the order he belonged to, he gave the first answers that came into his head, miraculously these all seemed to be in correct. He handed over a small bag of gold coins he'd found in his robe to pay for the extra items, he was floored by the next question.

"Do you have a loyalty card sir?"

"Loyalty card? Like no, I don't think I have."

"Yes to collect bonus points which you can redeem at any number of trading places, would you like one?"

"Like OK."

While this was going on Velma and Madelyn had been taken to a nearby blacksmith where long chains were secured to each of their collars. They stayed perfectly still as they were hammered in place. As if having a hammer swung next to your face wasn't enough the blacksmith kept trying to engage them in conversations about the nice weather they were having for this time of year. At the end of each chain was a leather coated ring, Shaggy took hold of both rings in one hand, and threw some sandals at their sisters feet. As soon as they had them on Shaggy gave a gentle tug on the chain and walked away while Scooby bowed to the blacksmith. Madelyn and Velma shuffled after him; grateful for the sandals they had been given as the ground was hot and rough on their feet.

"Huh going soft won't train 'em, why you should…" a grumpy looking trader on the next stall shouted to Shaggy.

"A small act of kindness can be more effective than a large act of cruelty," replied Shaggy without stopping.

The trader opened their mouth to speak but stopped, they turned to take their frustration out on their slaves but found he couldn't, all he could do was go and buy sandals for them.

They walked together through the streets, Shaggy made sure that he didn't pull on the chains he was holding, the girls followed quietly behind, trying to appear as submissive and uninteresting as possible so as not to draw any attention to themselves. They didn't know where Shaggy was taking them; if they were honest they didn't much care as it was away from what might have been. Finally they entered a quiet side-street he led the girls down a narrow alley into a small deserted cul-de-sac. Scooby followed up the rear to make sure no one followed them. He waved his arm and to an outsider the alleyway seemed to fade into insignificance.

"Oh boy, that was tough, like I'm running low on 'kung-fu mystic wisdom' lines," said Shaggy quietly stopping in the centre of the space. he let go of the chains and pulled back his hood.

"Shaggy, Scooby!" unnatural powers or not it didn't prevent the pair of them almost being crushed to death by Velma and Madelyn as they pressed into them, the closest they. could get to hugging

"Quickly free us," said Madelyn standing back, she held out her wrists as far as they would go.

"Not now, not yet, and like definitely not here." Shaggy and Scooby shook their heads emphatically "like you are now my slaves, end of story."


End file.
